Category Head

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Revenue and Market Share-

• Prepare and manage channel wise, product category wise, and distributor wise volumetric AOP (Annual Operating Plan), ensuring delivery in partnership with the sales team.
• Drive primary and secondary marketing strategies to meet AOP objectives.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking and recommend pricing strategies along with complete profitability analysis.
• Ensure delivery of budgeted Gross Profits (GPs) through constant monitoring of input costs and executing necessary price corrections.
• Monitor market share performance on a quarterly basis and recommend corrective actions.

Data Analytics-

• Utilize data tools and dashboards to track sales performance, category growth, pricing effectiveness, and demand forecasting.
• Provide actionable insights to optimize channel performance, pricing decisions, and product profitability.

Consumer Insights-

• Lead consumer insights through qualitative and quantitative research to identify unmet needs, category gaps, and emerging trends.
• Translate insights into product features, positioning, packaging, and communication strategies.

New Product Development-

• Leverage consumer insights to understand category behavior, emerging needs, and usage patterns; continuously evaluate market trends and competitor activity to identify new brand opportunities.
• Build and manage a robust new product pipeline driven by innovation, consumer insights, channel inputs, and cross functional collaboration.
• Lead the complete stage gate process from ideation to product launch and commercialization.
• Develop trade schemes, marketing initiatives, and sales activation programs to support new launches.
• Collaborate with the Marketing team for ATL & BTL activities to drive product visibility and mass adoption.

• Product Life Cycle (PLC) Management-
• Manage product pricing strategy and ensure profitability across the entire product life cycle.
• Conduct competitive price comparisons and full profitability assessments to guide pricing decisions.
• Oversee product packagingincluding aesthetics, design, form, and consumer appealby partnering with the creative/design team.
• Continuously track product performance and recommend lifecycle interventions such as relaunch, improvement, or rationalization.

Brand Category Management-

• Manage the overall brand category strategy, ensuring clear positioning, differentiation, and growth roadmap.
• Track category health metricspenetration, frequency, awareness, competitivenessand define actions to strengthen category leadership.
• Collaborate with marketing, sales, and NPD teams to strengthen brand performance across channels.
• Drive initiatives to expand market share within the category through innovation, product mix optimization, and channel specific strategies. ESSENTIALS

Technical / Functional Skills-

• Strong understanding of P&L management, pricing strategy, and financial analysis.
• Proven experience in new product development and stage-gate processes.
• Deep consumer insight and familiarity with market research methodologies.
• Knowledge of packaging development and brand identity systems.
• Strong grasp of distribution channels, trade marketing, and GTM execution.

Leadership & Behavioural Competencies-

• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management.
• Highly effective communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments with tight timelines.
• Strong drive for results, ownership, and accountability.

EXPERIENCE:

• 8 - 10 years of relevant work experience

QUALIFICATION

• B.E + Postgraduation (MBA or PGDM) in Marketing/Business/Product Management